Racing starts at 11 a.m., but crowds pack Lido Beach and parking becomes impossible. Some fans head out at 8 a.m., while others say 7 is a safer bet.

Lucy Nicandri, director of the Grand Prix Festival, takes this thinking to its logical conclusion.

“The beach opens at 5 a.m.,” she says, joking, but not really joking. “I would go at 5 a.m.”

People compare Suncoast Grand Prix to NASCAR, with the speed and sound of high-performance racing machines, but the beach setting is more beautiful than any racetrack. Plus, race fans can cool off in the Gulf of Mexico.

The classic rookie mistake is getting exhausted or dehydrated in the daytime heat.

“If you want to have fun, you have to plan ahead,” says Ryan Hoppe of Sarasota. “Get an umbrella, get a canopy, get a cooler. I just like to hang out in the water with my friends and watch the races.”

More than 40,000 people are expected to crowd Lido and South Lido Beach for the 2014 Grand Prix. The races are a spectacle for casual fans who look up from their drinks to watch brightly colored boats skim the turquoise Gulf water.

More serious fans listen to race broadcasts and pay attention to the rivalries of different teams in different classes. It's easier to root for a racer by name.

SNN will show the races. The Buzz, 105.9 FM, will provide live coverage. Superboat.com will offer streaming video.

“Go to superboat.com and do a little homework ahead of time,” suggests Jerry York, a Punta Gorda race promoter. “It's like a tutelage.”

Hoppe, for one, prefers the races without broadcast commentary.

“It's cool just to watch the boats and hear the engines,” he says. “I don't think you need to hear that, oh, so-and-so just passed so-and-so.”

By Sunday, it's too late to get up close and personal with race teams and drivers.

That's why fans recommend “Powerboats by the Bay,” from 11 a.m to 7 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Park, which features boats on display, live music and a 3 p.m. bikini contest.

For family fun, there will be “Meet & Greet Who's in the Driver's Seat” from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Hyatt Regency.

“That's huge for the kids,” Nicandri says. “Just about every team has giveaways, and you can get autographs. It's free for kids. They're asking for a $5 donation for grown-ups.”

Sarasota's Dan Lawrence, throttleman on “The Hulk” racing boat, enjoys promoting racing and meeting fans. He tries to help them imagine what it's like to be in a cockpit going 120 mph.

“Imagine buying a brand-new Ferrari and driving it on a dirt road as fast as you can go,” he says. “You're reaching high speeds, but you can feel every bump and bounce along the way. That's what it is.”

On Sunday, while the crowds are looking toward the sea, Lawrence will be looking back toward the key.

“When I look at the beach, all I see is colors, with people and canopies,” he says. “You don't even see the beach.”

Race fans who can't leave early on Sunday have few options.

Car-pooling is one. Riding with other fans or families will lessen traffic and increase your odds of finding a parking place.

Others head to City Island, just north of Lido Key.

“I see lots of people sitting at Ken Thompson Park, watching the boats go in and out. Or they ride bicycles or scooters from there. That's another idea.”

Grand Prix races will end about 2:30 p.m., but race fans agree that there is no point in trying to beat the rush off Lido Key. Traffic leaving the island in the evening will be worse than the reverse flow to the island in the morning.

“Sit and wait,” Nicandri suggests. “Make a day of it with your family and friends.”

<p>Racers, race fans and race promoters agree on the top three tips for watching Sunday's Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix on Lido Key.</p><p>Go early.</p><p>Go early.</p><p>And — oh, yeah — go early.</p><p>Racing starts at 11 a.m., but crowds pack Lido Beach and parking becomes impossible. Some fans head out at 8 a.m., while others say 7 is a safer bet.</p><p>Lucy Nicandri, director of the Grand Prix Festival, takes this thinking to its logical conclusion.</p><p>“The beach opens at 5 a.m.,” she says, joking, but not really joking. “I would go at 5 a.m.”</p><p>People compare Suncoast Grand Prix to NASCAR, with the speed and sound of high-performance racing machines, but the beach setting is more beautiful than any racetrack. Plus, race fans can cool off in the Gulf of Mexico.</p><p>The classic rookie mistake is getting exhausted or dehydrated in the daytime heat.</p><p>“If you want to have fun, you have to plan ahead,” says Ryan Hoppe of Sarasota. “Get an umbrella, get a canopy, get a cooler. I just like to hang out in the water with my friends and watch the races.”</p><p>More than 40,000 people are expected to crowd Lido and South Lido Beach for the 2014 Grand Prix. The races are a spectacle for casual fans who look up from their drinks to watch brightly colored boats skim the turquoise Gulf water.</p><p>More serious fans listen to race broadcasts and pay attention to the rivalries of different teams in different classes. It's easier to root for a racer by name.</p><p>SNN will show the races. The Buzz, 105.9 FM, will provide live coverage. Superboat.com will offer streaming video.</p><p>“Go to superboat.com and do a little homework ahead of time,” suggests Jerry York, a Punta Gorda race promoter. “It's like a tutelage.”</p><p>Hoppe, for one, prefers the races without broadcast commentary.</p><p>“It's cool just to watch the boats and hear the engines,” he says. “I don't think you need to hear that, oh, so-and-so just passed so-and-so.”</p><p>By Sunday, it's too late to get up close and personal with race teams and drivers.</p><p>That's why fans recommend “Powerboats by the Bay,” from 11 a.m to 7 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Park, which features boats on display, live music and a 3 p.m. bikini contest.</p><p>For family fun, there will be “Meet & Greet Who's in the Driver's Seat” from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Hyatt Regency.</p><p>“That's huge for the kids,” Nicandri says. “Just about every team has giveaways, and you can get autographs. It's free for kids. They're asking for a $5 donation for grown-ups.”</p><p>Sarasota's Dan Lawrence, throttleman on “The Hulk” racing boat, enjoys promoting racing and meeting fans. He tries to help them imagine what it's like to be in a cockpit going 120 mph.</p><p>“Imagine buying a brand-new Ferrari and driving it on a dirt road as fast as you can go,” he says. “You're reaching high speeds, but you can feel every bump and bounce along the way. That's what it is.”</p><p>On Sunday, while the crowds are looking toward the sea, Lawrence will be looking back toward the key.</p><p>“When I look at the beach, all I see is colors, with people and canopies,” he says. “You don't even see the beach.”</p><p>Race fans who can't leave early on Sunday have few options.</p><p>Car-pooling is one. Riding with other fans or families will lessen traffic and increase your odds of finding a parking place.</p><p>Others head to City Island, just north of Lido Key.</p><p>“I see lots of people sitting at Ken Thompson Park, watching the boats go in and out. Or they ride bicycles or scooters from there. That's another idea.”</p><p>Grand Prix races will end about 2:30 p.m., but race fans agree that there is no point in trying to beat the rush off Lido Key. Traffic leaving the island in the evening will be worse than the reverse flow to the island in the morning.</p><p>“Sit and wait,” Nicandri suggests. “Make a day of it with your family and friends.”</p>